Imprisoned
by Shadow of Midnight
Summary: Suigetsu has been a prisoner of Orochimaru for almost as long as he can remember. But with a new kid in the cage next to him and Sasuke's promise to free him, will he cope? No pairings.


The boy trapped in the glass jar sat calmly as he watched another prisoner be dragged in screaming

Prisoner

The boy trapped in the glass jar sat calmly as he watched another prisoner be dragged in screaming. Sugietsu had been a captive of Orochimaru long enough to realize that resistance was futile. The guards were tough and they carefully proofed each cage before placing a prisoner inside. They shoved the new boy in to an enclosure next to Sugietsu's. They left laughing as the blond boy screamed and rattled the bars of his cell. Sugietsu looked tranquilly over a cage and spoke to the yelling boy. He was being childish really; who did he think would come and save him? All he would do would be to bring the guards back in and that would be bad for everyone. Orochimaru picked guards for their talent not for kindness; they took pleasure in tormenting the captives incarcerated there. He knew that from experience; whenever they were in a bad mood they beat on the walls of Sugietsu's tank until it shook and he feared for his life. The boy quieted down to Sugietsu's intense relief, noise was not a favorite thing of his. He also despised people and the base was full of both.

"Hey, why are you in a tank?" the voice of the blond child still hoarse from yelling shattered Sugietsu's calm state of oblivion. "I mean, you're not a fish are you?" Sugietsu laughed, a cold biting laugh that seemed muted as it passed through the water around him.

"That I am trapped in water is the will of Orochimaru. He decided the form of my prison himself. I am an unusual ninja." the boy looked confused.

"Unusual? How?" he asked curiously.

Sugietsu smiled in a grin that showed no joy but all of his pointed teeth. "I am a former mist ninja. All physical attacks melt through me as though you had hit water. That is why I am kept like a pet fish." The child looked perplexed still but let it pass.

"Ummmm, what's your name?" again with the talking, Sugietsu hated talkative people. There was a girl guard at the north base that would talk her teeth out about Orochimaru's latest potential host who she seemed to think was cute, he really hated that girl. He decided to get it over with quickly and responded.

"Sugietsu," the boy smiled,

"My name is Hoshu, I have no idea at all why I'm here. I don't have special abilities at all. I barely started my own ninja training." His voice cracked slightly. Sugietsu sensed a crying jag, why were all the whiny new captives placed near him?

"You're here because probably you are intended for an experiment. Is that okay with you so I can go to sleep?" Hoshu shrunk fearfully against the back of his cage. He whimpered quietly to himself as he rocked back and forth. A door somewhere slammed and Sugietsu recognized it as the door to the wing of the experimental base.

"Shhhhhhh," he hissed at Hoshu "some ones coming and they will be less tolerant of noise than me. And more likely to act." The words he spoke were true but if it was only a common guard the chances were high that a crying victim would brighten their day. The authoritative tread of Orochimaru approached along with the patter of a guard and a step that he was less familiar with. It took him a few seconds to recognize it as that of the next host, Uchiha Sasuke. Orochimaru and his pet were touring the base. It appeared that a few new prisoners had been taken. The steps grew louder, Orochimaru, Sasuke, and three guards. One of the guards was the head of the base. And then he heard another lighter tread. One he had missed before. It was the cat-like walk of the medical ninja and ruler of the experimental division, Yakushi Kabuto. Kabuto was another one that Sugietsu hated. He was cruel and ruled his domain with an iron fist. If he was coming it boded no good for any one held here. He heard them get closer and closer and closed his eyes. Sleeping prisoners were less fun to torture and as he was really awake if he needed to appear healthy he could do so. Then Sugietsu saw them as they rounded a cage. He had been right about them; the guards ushered Kabuto, Orochimaru, and Sasuke. Orochimaru looked slightly interested but mainly bored. Kabuto was taking notes; probably on whom to test first, thought Sugietsu in disgust. Sasuke walked next to Orochimaru and listened to Kabuto talk. He did not seem interested but Sugietsu observed that his eyes watched each of the prisoners and that he listened extra carefully to the abilities of each. He had already seen Sugietsu many times before and was interested in his potential. Sugietsu did not know it but he was one of the ones Sasuke watched most carefully.

The group stopped near a girl opposite Sugietsu. She had a strange control over fire, she didn't need hand signs to manipulate it. Sugietsu plainly saw Kabuto put a checkmark under her name on the clipboard. He suppressed a shudder as a chill ran down his spine. The girl was intended for a test. Then they moved on to Sugietsu and the blond boy, Hoshu. No one moved. Then Kabuto broke the silence.

"This one looks like a good maybe host body, Orochimaru-sama. Perhaps in time if…" he trailed off and looked at Sasuke. "It is near the time where you must get a new body." Orochimaru nodded. They moved on. Sasuke stayed a bit behind and stared in at the boy submerged in water. He spoke softly so that Orochimaru, Kabuto and the guards did not over hear.

"Hey, Sugietsu. That's your name right? You want out of here? In a few days I'll get out after I deal with Orochimaru. Then I'll need a strong squad to achieve my goals. If you are willing I'll get you out. All you have to do is help me. Think about it, your liberty for helping me." Sugietsu nodded slightly. Sasuke smiled. Kabuto looked back and beckoned Sasuke onward.

The promise of the freedom Sugietsu had not tasted in years would linger in the prisoner's mind until the day when Sasuke would break him out.


End file.
